Tag Archives: Culture

You don’t need to be scared to go on safari. When CNN described Kenya last year as “a hotbed of terrorism” it called attention to some crazy myths that must be prevailing to prevent travellers coming to Kenya. I want to address some of these myths to help put your mind at ease and feel confident to experience that bucket list safari you’ve always wanted. This won’t be a marketing spiel; I live in Kenya so I know the good, the bad and the ugly and will share all of it with you.

Myth 1: Kenya is full of terrorists

CNN’s description of Kenya was outlandish to say the least. Kenya suffered several terrorism incidents throughout 2013 and 2014, the most notable of which was the attack on the Westgate Shopping Centre. Most of the activities were much smaller scale however – grenades thrown into bus stations, churches and nightclubs. In April 2015 the Garissa University was attacked and since then Kenya has not had another attack (time of writing is August 2016, I hope I don’t jinx it!). Al Shabaab, an Al Qaeda-affiliated group from Somalia, are reported to be the key offenders.

Unfortunately today, terrorism occurs everywhere and anywhere. In the last year we have seen attacks in Paris, Sydney, Brussels and Istanbul. But travellers still flock to these places.

Fifty million people survive every day in Kenya, so your chances are pretty good that you will come out alive. Like saying “all Muslims are terrorists”, Kenyans want peace as much as the next person. Moreover, the parts of Kenya you, as a traveller, would be frequenting are not terrorist targets – there have been no attacks on any national parks or game reserves to date. There is a terrorist risk near the Somali border and in parts of Nairobi.

The current travel advisory from the Australian government is that only some areas are dangerous, not the whole country. And the dangerous areas don’t have much of interest to the average safari-goer.

Myth 2: Nairobi is “Nai-robbery”

A decade ago carjackings, armed robbery, and muggings were relatively common in Nairobi, earning the city the nickname “Nai-robbery”. But one mayor did a lot of work with the street boys and nowadays Nairobi is just as safe (or risky) as any other big city in the world. Expatarrivals.com says that crime in Nairobi is “opportunistic, unsophisticated, comparable to other world capitals.” The crime rate has decreased each year since 2012 according to Standard Digital.

I have lived in Nairobi for five years now and I have never been physically attacked. One evening, my phone was snatched – but who walks in the city centre in the evening alone talking on their phone; it was totally my fault. However, everyone who saw the thief chased him and I got my phone back! Nairobians themselves are tired of crime in their city, especially towards foreigners because they don’t want travellers to have a bad experience of Kenya.

Myth 3: Corruption is rife and foreigners are targeted because they are thought to have more money

I cannot say that corruption is not rife. It is, but as a tourist you are unlikely to encounter it. If you book a full package safari, there will be little opportunity for police or any other official to ask you for a bribe. Tourists are rarely targeted. Foreigners are not an easy target because we tend to ask too many questions and don’t always understand what’s really happening. It’s not in our habit to slip some money in the door handle for the traffic policeman for example. Expatriates who participate in corruption means crime continues unpunished and Kenya’s development remains stymied. The phrase “When in Rome…” should not apply to bribery and corruption.

President Kenyatta says the right things about cleaning up Kenya’s corruption, but it’s going to take a huge shift. However it’s certainly not a reason to avoid a Kenyan safari!

Myth 4: Tour operators are dishonest and you will lose your money if you pay in advance.

Yes, there are some briefcase businesses, but in this age of the internet you can certainly do you own due diligence and avoid being scammed. There are plenty of review sites online and many allow you to contact reviewers directly to ask about their experience. Use Trip Advisor, do your research, check the prices.

The tourism industry has suffered greatly the past four years (due to the myths I’m writing about here!) and tour operators are getting increasingly desperate just to make a sale. But if park fees are included in your package, check that the total price can cover those fees. For example, it is $80 for a 24-hour ticket to the Maasai Mara. So if you are booking a two-night safari to Maasai Mara for $200, you can do some simple maths and calculate that $160 is for park fees, leaving only $40 for transport, accommodation and food. Park fees are public information so you can do some rough calculations. If it seems too good to be true, then it probably is! Either your operator is paying bribes at the park gate, or your vehicle hasn’t been maintained, or your food will be substandard. Or you could get the trifecta! Please, it does not help Kenya’s fight against corruption to encourage your tour operator to pay bribes at the gate so you can get into the park cheaply.

The Kenyan Association of Tour Operators and the Kenyan Ministry of Tourism are also working hard to introduce measures to curb cheats.

Sensational media is destroying Kenya’s main industry and the economy is suffering as a result. So if an African safari is on your bucket list, look beyond the headlines and see Kenya for the amazing country it really is.

The Maasai Mara and Serengeti form a cross-border eco-system that supports millions of animals and is the scene for the Great Wildebeest Migration. In January, OTA is leading a tour to these parks as well as Lake Naivasha, Ngorongoro Crater and Lake Natron, giving guests the opportunity to experience a variety of landscapes throughout their safari.

Spectacular wildlife in Maasai Mara, Serengeti and Ngorongoro Crater is the biggest draw-card of this safari, but the stunning birding in Lakes Naivasha and Natron is not to be dismissed. Throughout the safari, we will travel through several different environments, each providing incredible scenery. Guests will also have the opportunity to visit a traditional Maasai village. Travelling in a comfortable safari vehicle fit for photography, game-viewing and touring and accompanied by an experienced driver-guide, on this trip you will stay in three-star tented camps and lodges.

Francis Wamai, Founder and Director of OTA, says: “Lake Naivasha is the biggest of the Rift Valley lakes and Lake Natron has an alga that makes it look red; both are home to millions of flamingos. Maasai Mara is famous for the Great Wildebeest Migration that arrives in July and returns to Serengeti in November – that’s where you’ll see the herds on this trip. Ngorongoro Crater is the caldera of an extinct volcano and local people believe it is the Garden of Eden, especially as nearby Oldepai Gorge is where some of the earliest human remains have been found.”

OTA’s 13-day Wildlife Wonder Tour is designed for those looking for an exceptional and unique safari experience. The tour cost is US$3460 per person inclusive of all meals, accommodation, entry fees to Maasai Mara, Serengeti, Ngorongoro Crater and Lake Natron, and an English-speaking driver-guide. There are limited seats available so contact tracey@ota-responsibletravel.com today to reserve yours.

School holidays roll around four times a year and each time you want to keep your kids entertained and once in a while treat them to something really special. Well here today, I’m presenting the ultimate school holiday treat for the whole family! Often, family travel focuses on a destination suitable for children but can be a bit of a drag for the parents. East Africa is NOT such a destination – it offers plenty for everyone from your primary-school-aged son to his grandmother.

East Africa has so many activities for all ages. Many people just think of a typical safari, looking at animals from a safari vehicle. When parents are considering a holiday for their young children, spending days in a car does not sound attractive. But there’s so much more! At Lake Naivasha you can go cycling in Hells Gate National Park. In the Maasai Mara and Serengeti you can go in a hot air balloon. Many lodges have swimming pools to break up a big day of game drives. You can head up to a beautiful viewpoint for a sundowner in most places you might be in the region. Walking safaris are available in Central Kenya, Lake Naivasha and Lake Eyasi in Tanzania. Or perhaps a boat ride at Lake Baringo, Lake Victoria, Lake Kivu (in Rwanda), or on the Nile River in Uganda. At the source of the Nile in Jinja, Uganda, the teenagers can go white-water rafting downstream while the elders relax on a lunch cruise upriver!

I mentioned earlier that parents tend to worry about their young kids spending full days in a car. What if they get bored? What if they need a toilet? Oh it could just be a disaster. Wrong! There are ways to make game drives fun and entertaining with games or a scavenger hunt or get them to fill out a field guide if they are a bit older. That will keep them engaged and interested in finding the next animal. You could have prizes for the most obscure find for the day. And anyway, the animals you are seeing are lions and elephants and giraffes! One family took their two children aged 3 and 5 on a safari and they had prepared their guide that they may have to cut things short if the kids became ratty. But it never happened. The children were thrilled with seeing the animals and lasted the whole day!

Meeting local people and learning how they live is a fantastic experience for all generations. But in East Africa there is a lot of issues and life is really different to what we are used to in the West. We have witnessed profound impact on teenagers especially when they have interacted with kids their own age living in the slums or in a Maasai village. Visiting community-based organisations and seeing their projects can inspire young people to start thinking how they can make a difference in this world. We have had family groups visit schools and donate books. Other families have visited traditional villages and it’s so fun to see the children playing together despite a language barrier.

So if you are starting to think that it might be OK for finding things to do, but now you start thinking about the logistics. Where will you stay? How will you travel? Again, East Africa has you covered. Many accommodation places have family rooms. We also understand that travelling with a family can be expensive, so if you are travelling on a budget then consider a camping trip. It is really exciting camping in the national parks listening to the sounds of the bush around you at night! As for transport, there are a range of vehicle sizes, depending on how many you are. A typical safari van or Land Cruiser seats 6-7 passengers but if you are looking to bring the extended family for a multi-generational trip, you might hire an overland truck.

The biggest concern for families considering coming to East Africa is safety and security. When you book through a reputable tour operator, you will be fully escorted the whole time by knowledgeable local guides. By booking a full safari package and paying up front for everything, you do not have to carry so much cash on you. And remember the national parks have never really been a target for terrorists or criminals – big cities are much more lucrative for them. On a safari you will be spending most of your time in national parks and minimal time in cities so your risk of encountering these bad guys is reduced.

So what are you waiting for? It’s time to build amazing memories together. You might use it to celebrate a special occasion – for example we had a family group reunite in Kenya to celebrate the grandfather’s 70th birthday. Regardless, a family holiday to East Africa is a bucket list event no one will ever forget.

Departing every November, adventure travellers have the opportunity to visit spectacular Maasai Mara in Kenya, track mountain gorillas in Uganda and soak up the Rwandan vibe in Kigali. Lake Naivasha and the Maasai Mara Game Reserve are the Kenyan highlights, while the Bwindi Impenetrable Forest, home to the endangered mountain gorillas, completes the wildlife-viewing trio.

OTA is leading the twenty-day Kenya to Kigali Adventure from 3rd to 23rd November 2015, beginning in Nairobi, Kenya and finishing in Kigali, Rwanda. The highlights of the trip include experiencing the wildlife of the Maasai Mara and tracking the mountain gorillas. Travelling in a comfortable safari van with pop-up roof fit for photography, game viewing and touring, this is a camping trip accompanied by an experienced English-speaking driver/guide and a cook. The price is US$3985 per person with space for only six people. You are invited to contact Francis and Tracey at OTA via email (tracey@ota-responsibletravel.com) for more information and to place your booking.

Tom Koerkemeier experienced the tour in 2012 and said: “I felt totally safe and comfortable with Tracey and Francis around. On the other hand there was never the feeling to stay in any kind of tourist-bubble in which you cannot get in contact with locals, their way of living or their culture. It was just the perfect mixture between culture, wildlife, adventure and relaxing.”

This Kenya to Kigali Adventure gives travellers the opportunity to experience the local culture and engage with community development organisations as well as view the amazing wildlife and spectacular natural scenery of East Africa. Whether a single, couple, small group, expat living in East Africa or a holiday-maker this tour is for travellers seeking a bit more than a standard safari. It is an opportunity to step outside your comfort zone, take a much-needed break, and meet like-minded travellers. Visit www.ota-responsibletravel.com or www.facebook.com/ OverlandTravelAdventures where you can sign up to the tour on the Events page.

Situated at the southern corner of the Samburu district in the Rift Valley province, the Samburu ecosystem comprises three national reserves: Shaba, Buffalo Springs and Samburu. These parks are not as famous as others in Kenya, but within this ecosystem are species found nowhere else in the country, including the Grevy’s Zebra, Somali Ostrich, Beisa Oryx, Reticulated Giraffe and Gerenuk.

The landscape offers amazing variety from open savannah to scrub desert to lush river foliage, offering fantastic opportunities for excellent wildlife encounters. Steep-sided gullies and rounded hills formed on the lava plain describe the terrain. Vegetation in the reserve area is dominated by umbrella acacia woodland with intermittent bush-, grass- and scrub-land. Near the river, Doum Palm dominates the landscape. The fruits of the Doum are eaten by monkey, baboon and elephant.

The climate in this area is typically dry and hot. Temperatures can reach 40°C in the day with an average low of 20°C at night. The rainy season occurs during the hotter months between April and June and also November and December, with November usually being the wettest month. Between January and March it is very hot and dry; July to October is also dry. The elevation in the park ranges from 800 to 1,230 metres.

Samburu and Buffalo Springs National Reserves are separated by 32 km of the Uaso Nyiro River, which winds its way through Kenya from the Aberdare Mountains to the Loriam Swamp near the Somali border. The river is the lifeline of this arid region, drawing the water-dependent animals to it during the dry season. In the Samburu language, “Uaso Nyiro” means “River of Brown Water”.

Located 345km north of Nairobi is Archer’s Gate, the main entrance to Samburu National Reserve. Established in 1948, the Reserve is relatively small at 170 square kilometres, making animals a bit easier to find than in other parks. Entry fees for foreigners are currently US$70 per day (2014).

Monkey, olive baboon, buffalo, impala, waterbuck, monitor lizard and Nile crocodile are the most commonly seen residents of Samburu. Lodges in the reserve have attracted the normally reclusive leopards with bait for several years, so the chances of seeing one are greater than in other parks. As well as these mammals and reptiles, there are over 300 species of birds, including large flocks of Helmeted and Vulturine Guineafowl. The five endemic species to the area are: Gerenuk, also known as the “giraffe-necked antelope” as it has a stretched neck adapted for browsing high into the bushes; Grevy’s Zebra, with wide black stripes and a completely white belly; Beisa Oryx; Reticulated Giraffe; and the blue-legged Somali Ostrich.

Accommodation in and around Samburu National Reserve varies in luxury and budget.

Umoja Women’s Campsite is our favourite budget option just outside the park gate at Archer’s Post. It is a community campsite with bandas (small huts) and simple meals. It is attached to a women’s village that provides refuge for Samburu women fleeing domestic violence. Proceeds from the campsite support the women, and you can visit the village to learn more about Samburu culture. Meet the Chairwoman and Founder, Rebecca Lolosoli, in this interview: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t1zuCNemmPo.

Samburu Intrepids is an eco-friendly option inside the reserve. They have financed the development of a school, a bee-keeping project and medical services in the community.

Larsens Camp, Samburu Game Lodge, Saruni Samburu, Sasaab Samburu and Elephant Bedroom Camp are other lodges in the area.

The town of Archer’s Post has simple, budget guesthouses and restaurants.

OTA is running a eight-day safari from Nairobi, Kenya to the Lake Turkana Festival via Samburu National Reserve in June. The Lake Turkana Festival is one of the cultural highlights on Kenya’s calendar. The tour includes game viewing in Samburu, visiting outback towns Maralal and Marsabit, and visiting the extraordinary cultural festival in Loyangalani. Fourteen communities in this remote corner of the world coming together to celebrate their differences – don’t you want to be a part of that?! Visit the website for more information http://www.ota-responsibletravel.com for more information, or check the event page on Facebook http://www.facebook.com/OverlandTravelAdventures

The Lake Turkana Festival has been an annual event on the Kenyan calendar for five years but in 2014, for the first time, it is being organised and facilitated by the local government. So come and help the local economy, engage with communities, and support cultural traditions at this spectacular festival in one of the most remote corners of the globe.

Francis Wamai, Founder and Director of OTA, says: “The Turkana Festival is special in order to learn more about the cultures of people in the Turkana region. Also it’s so nice to see the lake itself in Northern Kenya, which is mostly a large desert!”

OTA’s nine-day Lake Turkana Festival Tour is designed for those looking for an exceptional cultural experience to combine with their safari. The tour cost is US$1157 per person (the trip will only run with a minimum of four people) inclusive of all meals, accommodation, entry fee to Samburu National Reserve, and an English-speaking driver and guide. There are only six seats available so contact tracey@ota-responsibletravel.com today to reserve your seat.

OTA offers trips in Kenya where you can experience the local culture, stay in villages, and engage with community development organisations as well as view the amazing wildlife and spectacular natural scenery in this amazing country. We can cater to groups (large and small) for any budget, offering a range of accommodation from camping to luxury lodges. Visit www.ota-responsibletravel.com for more information.

After visiting Rebecca several times over the course of a year, OTA interviewed her in September 2013 to share her story of Umoja Women’s Group. She founded Umoja in 1990 to help Samburu women suffering from domestic violence and other abuses find a safe refuge. Over the decades she has met incredible opposition from the Samburu men, but against the odds she has established a haven currently housing 58 women and recently ran for a political position in her community.

My name is Rebecca Lolosoli. I work with Umoja Women’s Group which was started in 1990. We started a women’s village and in 1990 we had three women; now we are 58 women. It’s a village where women run to, like a shelter for the women.

We are fighting for the rights of women, the rights of weak families, and the rights of girls. Samburu women don’t have rights. So we fight for our girls to go to school, to choose their husbands and to own anything like land and livestock as any other human being can. This village is the shelter for women where women and girls run to during their problems, such as early marriages, early pregnancy, and Female Genital Mutilation (FGM). We also try to help those girls that get pregnant before FGM because their baby will be killed so we try to protect the girl and protect the baby.

And now also the women work fighting for peace. We need peace in Kenya and we want to have peace with other communities like our neighbours – the ones who are fighting with Samburu: Borana, Turkana, and Pokot. So we think the women are to bring these changes of peace and we want to network with our neighbours (the Borana, Turkana and Pokot). We want to visit each other and try to see how we can bring peace between us because we are the victims. It’s always the women and children who are the victims. That’s why we have to think again about peace because there’s no development without peace and that’s what we are trying to do with Umoja Women’s Group.

You can visit Umoja Women’s Village at Archer’s Post, near the gate of Samburu National Reserve. Rebecca also runs a campsite close to the village where tourists visiting the Reserve can stay. The proceeds from the camp support the women in the village and their ongoing fight for women’s rights in the Samburu community. Visit www.umojawomen.org for more information.

OTA is running a nine-day safari from Nairobi, Kenya to the Lake Turkana Festival via Samburu National Reserve and Thomson’s Falls in June. The Lake Turkana Festival is one of the cultural highlights on Kenya’s calendar. It includes game viewing in Samburu National Reserve in Kenya, visiting outback towns Maralal and Marsabit, and visiting the extraordinary cultural festival in Loyangalani. Ten communities in this remote corner of the world coming together to celebrate their differences – don’t you want to be a part of that?! Visit the website for more information http://www.ota-responsibletravel.com for more information, or check the Event page on Facebook http://www.facebook.com/OverlandTravelAdventures

Overland Travel Adventures provides private tailored safaris dedicated to the philosophies of responsible travel. We engage with communities through East Africa by visiting local NGOs and supporting their projects either with hands-on assistance or monetary donations. A holiday with OTA will give you the opportunity to interact with local people as well as visit the spectacular game parks East Africa is famous for.